Audit Services Association critiques COPE Chairman

The Sri Lanka Audit Services Association has written a letter to the Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, expressing concerns about the performance of the COPE Chairman Prof. Ranjit Bandara.

The association contends that the financial control responsibilities assigned to Parliament under Article 148 of the Constitution are not being properly fulfilled by the COPE Chairman.

The letter highlights several issues, including the chairman’s alleged neglect of important matters presented by the Auditor General, spending excessive time on less significant issues, failure to provide specific recommendations or guidelines on investigated matters, and issuing handwritten instructions to management boards.

Additionally, the association notes the absence of pre-COPE committee meetings to comprehend the presented audit issues.In light of these concerns, the Sri Lanka Audit Services Association has urged the Speaker to remove the current COPE Chairman from the position and appoint someone capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of the role effectively.

The association emphasizes that the Chairman’s actions undermine the power of people’s sovereignty and compromise the proper functioning of COPE.

Attached to the letter are images of the union’s communication to the Speaker, which outline the specific issues and concerns regarding the COPE Chairman’s performance.